The Waymaker Program commenced in 2025 at our Carrum Downs Campus. Waymaker is a flexible pathway for young people who have disengaged or are at significant risk of disengaging from school (also known as "school unable" or "school refusal").
Waymaker is a place where young people can Belong - where they are known, loved and connected in community. It is a space where young people come to Believe - where they build their courage, confidence and begin to tell a new story. And it is a journey they go on to Become - where they are empowered to grow into the fullness of who God has designed them to be.
We know that some young people struggle to engage with school, so we’ve created a highly adaptable and personalised program that provides the extra support for students right at their point of need.
Trauma informed and flexible learning spaces
Small class sizes with highly individualised support
Literacy and numeracy is prioritised alongside personal passions and creative projects.
Waymaker will launch in 2025 for students in Grade 6 to Year 9. We will then add additional Year levels*:
2025: Grade 6 to Year 9
2026 and beyond: Grade 6 to Year 10
* In 2025, applications for other year levels will be considered at the discretion of the College
Waymaker Students
Waymaker students have a history of difficulty attending school, usually due to a diagnosed and significant mental health condition such as anxiety, depression or post traumatic stress that is currently being treated by an appropriate health practitioner.
Waymaker Tours at Carrum Downs
The best way to find out if Flinders is right for your family is to come for a visit! Families are welcome to register for a Waymaker Group Tour, or if a one on one meet and greet is more appropriate, please contact theWaymaker Program Director
If you would like to know more about the Waymaker Program, you are welcome to submit an Expression of Interest below. Our Enrolments team will then connect with you.
We are now taking enrolment applications for our next Waymaker Program intake. If you wish for your young person's application to be considered for this intake, please apply below:
A documented diagnosis of a relevant mental health condition (anxiety disorder, depression or post traumatic stress disorder) as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)
Some students may have an additional diagnosis eg ADHD, sensory processing disorder etc. The College will review and consider the educational adjustments that will need to be put in place to meet the student’s needs and whether the Mental Health condition, as the primary diagnosis, will have the greatest impact on the student’s education. This will determine whether the Waymaker program and environment is able to support the student’s level of needs.
Documented evidence of ongoing, individual intervention by a mental health practitioner
A documented history of the frequency, duration and intensity of the mental health disorder in the home, school and community
A documented history of the impact of the condition on the student's educational progress, functioning and their emotional wellbeing
Waymaker launched in 2025. At the discretion of the College and if there are available places, we will consider the enrolment of students in other year levels outside of those listed below.
Please complete our online enrolment application. Applicants are to supply all requested supporting documentation online. Once we’ve received your online enrolment application with all relevant supporting documentation, it will be reviewed. If a position in the Waymaker Program becomes available and College believes this may be a good fit for your young person, then an interview will be arranged to share more information about our program and how it may support the young person's needs.
Offer of a place in Waymaker will be based on an interview and information collected during the enrolment process.
Every Waymaker student will be required to bring their own laptop as per the College's Secondary BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Guidelines. See here for more details.
The Carrum Downs Campus of Flinders operates various bus routes which arrive at 8.30am and depart at 3.30pm each day. Please see Bus Transport - Carrum Downs page for more detail
Waymaker students will not be required to purchase textbooks to attend the Waymaker program but instead will be able to access key resources through an educational levy.
Waymaker students will utilise several evidence-based digital learning platforms to enable their learning whether they are at home, at school, or on an expedition. Students will use a range of applications to track ongoing progress and growth. These may differ from student to student depending on their needs, core passions and creative pursuits.
Existing Flinders students who have a documented history of disengagement and meet the Waymaker Program enrolment criteria may apply, in the same manner as other external applications. If you require further information, please speak to the Waymaker Director or the Flinders Wellbeing Team.
A Flinders student who experiences a mental health condition that impacts their ability to attend classes, would become eligible for referral to the Waymaker program as a temporary enrolment. Temporary enrolments are designed to help the student recover the capacity to re-engage with mainstream education. Temporary enrolments will be at the joint discretion of the Head of Campus and the Waymaker Director and are subject to the availability of places.
A core aim of Waymaker is to enable young people to re-engage with mainstream education. As such, we imagine many of our students will transfer into one of our campuses, either at Tyabb or Carrum Downs, when the time is right for them. Each transfer decision will be made in conjunction with the Family, the Student, the Head of Campus and the Waymaker Director, and is subject to the availability of places.
